For centuries the US has invented, evolved, and innovated a rich tapestry of delicious dishes, from retro desserts to fabulous fast food and sumptuous snacks. Some of these are dishes best made at home, but many were created or popularized at iconic restaurants and old-school diners in every state. Here we've uncovered the best places to order America's bucket-list historic dishes for meals you’ll never forget.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most historic dishes to order in every US state.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards, accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

Bob Gibson started serving barbecue in 1925 using his signature white sauce, and his two namesake restaurants are still going strong in Decatur. All the dishes on the menu are tasty, but the most noteworthy is the chicken with white barbecue sauce. The joint's chickens are smoked for three and a half hours before being dipped into the tangy, peppery sauce and served to hungry customers. Bob's white sauce is so popular, you can buy it by the bottle.

There's no word on precisely who invented Alaska's signature fast food – a hot dog made with reindeer sausage – but the reindeer dog has been part of the culinary landscape of the region for a long time. This uniquely Alaskan wiener is a blend of reindeer (or caribou) meat with pork and/or beef and has a subtle flavor sort of like venison. Yeti Dogs in Anchorage is generally recommended as the best joint to try one, where they come loaded with everything from Swiss cheese to dill sauerkraut.

Tucson restaurant El Charro claims to be the birthplace of the chimichanga. The legend goes that, in 1922, chef Monica Flin accidentally dropped a burrito into a deep-fat fryer. She then apparently almost blurted out a Spanish cuss word, but changed it at the last minute to the made-up 'chimichanga' to save the innocent ears of nearby children. It's a good story, and the historic spot still serves the dish using the original recipe in its four locations.

Cheese dip is the kind of simple yet delicious dish you're amazed hasn't been a thing since the dawn of time. But this historic food was apparently invented at a humble restaurant called Mexico Chiquito in Little Rock in 1935. It remains on the menu at the no-frills joint, too, though you'll also find cheese dip pretty much everywhere else. Arkansas even has an annual World Cheese Dip Championship and a cheese dip trail.

California is the home of many historic dishes, including the cheeseburger and the Cobb salad. But its most famous sandwich has to be the delightful French dip. Two contenders say they invented the dish, which features sliced roast beef, Swiss cheese, onions, and a bowl of dippable broth. Philippe the Original's story dates back to 1918, when owner Philippe Mathieu supposedly dropped a beef sandwich into a roasting pan full of juices. Cole's has a similar legend that goes back to 1908. Both restaurants still serve the French dip today – but locals rate Philippe's the highest.

People sometimes mistake the Colorado mountain pie for Chicago's deep-dish pizza. But look a little closer and you'll see two distinct differences. The first is that a Colorado mountain pie only has a thick (and crispy) crust, unlike deep dish, which is thick all the way through. Secondly, the Colorado pie is made from dough infused with honey. It traditionally comes loaded with toppings (that huge crust helps keep them intact) with more honey for dipping. We have historic Idaho Springs restaurant Beau Jo's to thank for inventing the pizza in 1973, and its original location is still the best place to try it.

Louis' Lunch opened in 1895, and it took the joint just five years to land upon its signature dish: the hamburger sandwich. Local legend has it that this slice of fast food history came about when a customer wanted a takeaway meal on the double. The chef cobbled together whatever was at hand, and the new dish was born. To this day, the kitchen still uses the same vertical gas broilers from 1898 and the same recipe: white toast with a choice of onion, tomato, or cheese, but no ketchup.

If it's good enough for the White House, then it's good enough for us; George and Barbara Bush apparently had Nic-o-bolis delivered to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This satisfying package is a cross between a calzone and a stromboli, stuffed with ground beef, pizza sauce, and a special cheese blend. First invented in 1972 by Nicola Pizza owner Nicholas Caggiano, it's a much-loved dish that's still drawing in customers at this much-loved pizza joint.

Many claim to be the inventor of Key lime pie, but it's generally agreed that the credit belongs to Aunt Sally. She was a cook in self-made millionaire William Curry's kitchen in Key West, and apparently first put the dessert together in the late 19th century. Its incredible blend of fragrant Key limes, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk has since spread throughout the Sunshine State, with plenty of places serving a mean Key lime pie. Our favorite, though, is at the equally historic Joe's Stone Crab in Miami, which has been open since 1913 and serves one of the best versions around.

Virginians might bristle at Brunswick stew being credited to Georgia, but the truth is that both states have claimed to have invented this hearty dish. A Southern staple, Brunswick stew is traditionally made with tomatoes, beans, vegetables, and small game meat such as squirrel or rabbit. You're more likely to find chicken or pork on the menu today, and the version at Willie Jewell's Old School Bar-B-Q claims to be made from a 70-year-old recipe.

It would be hard to find a more historic dish on this list. The roots of poke go back to when native islanders in Hawaii rubbed sea salt, seaweed, and inamona (a traditional salty condiment) into freshly caught fish to preserve it. The more modern innovation is the poke bowl, which typically comes with sushi rice, sauce and various sliced vegetables. The best in Hawaii, according to a 2023 USA Today poll, is served at Poke Market in Hilo.

Finger steaks are very much an Idaho thing, and they're a must-try whenever you're in the Gem State. It's said that chef Milo Bybee created the dish out of necessity in 1957 in the kitchens of Milo's Torch Lounge in Boise, in a bid to use up leftover steak scraps. Bybee dipped the tenderloins in tempura batter, deep fried them, and the rest is Idaho food history. Head to Big Jud’s in Boise to try some of the best.

In 1893, the first ever brownie was created under the direction of prominent Chicago socialite Bertha Palmer, who asked a pastry chef at her husband’s hotel, the iconic Palmer House, to make a dessert for the Columbian Exposition World's Fair. ​Unsurprisingly, the gooey, fudgy dessert proved an instant hit and eventually gained popularity around the world. The original recipe is still used at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago today – and it has even been kind enough to share the 100-year-old recipe online for enthusiastic home bakers to try in their own kitchens.

Even though Indiana’s pork tenderloin sandwich – or Hoosier – is comically out of proportion, there's more to this hefty hand-held than the novelty factor. To make it, a huge slice of pork tenderloin is hammered until flat and tenderized, then breaded and deep fried before being stuffed into a small Kaiser bun. It's a staple across the state, but Nick's Kitchen in Huntington is the place to try the original recipe. The joint's been serving this sammy since it opened in 1908, and it has no plans to change the recipe any time soon.

The loose meat sandwich doesn't have the most appetizing name, which is perhaps why some people call it a tavern sandwich or a Maid-Rite. After all, this Iowa specialty was supposedly created at local fast food chain Maid-Rite in 1926 by the owner (and butcher) Fred Angell. Apparently, the first person to try the new dish exclaimed, "This sandwich is made right!" The most historic spot to try one is at the original Maid-Rite restaurant in Muscatine, although there are outlets elsewhere.

When German Russian Mennonites arrived in Kansas in the late 19th century, they brought with them the recipe for the perfect hand-held snack. The bierock – a light bread bun stuffed with minced beef, cabbage, and onion – is something of an icon in the Sunflower State, and many consider the no-frills German drive-thru M & M Bierock as the best place in Wichita to get them. But for a fancier meal, head to Prost, where the classic is served with German potato salad and warm red cabbage.

It might not have the most appealing name or look, but Kentucky’s hot brown still tastes pretty amazing. That's not surprising when you discover this indulgent open sandwich consists of turkey and bacon smothered in a creamy mornay sauce and grilled until crisp, brown, and, you guessed it, hot. The original was created in Louisville's Brown Hotel in 1926, thanks to chef Fred K. Schmidt, and the hotel still proudly includes the dish on its menu.

The muffuletta is a generous serving of Italian cured meats, provolone cheese, and a finely chopped olive salad jammed inside a chewy Sicilian loaf. This legendary sandwich was born in 1906 at Central Grocery & Deli in New Orleans when owner Salvatore Lupo created the sandwich to satisfy local Italian workers. The shop is in the midst of a reconstruction effort following the devastating effects of Hurricane Ida, but its muffulettas are still available in stores throughout the city.

Yes, the lobster roll was likely invented at Perry's Restaurant in Milford, Connecticut in 1929 – but Maine is just as celebrated for its take on the dish, which is traditionally served cold. When lobster season is in full flow, places throughout the state will dish up their versions of the local specialty, but if you want a truly vintage sandwich, head to Red's Eats. The joint modestly claims to be the 'world's best lobster shack' and has the accolades to back it up. It's been serving its classic lobster rolls for more than 80 years.

In 1929, Mr. J.T. Thrasher established The Original Thrasher's French Fries in Ocean City, and the store hasn't moved since. The original recipe for Thrasher's fries hasn't changed, either, despite the business growing to three locations. These fries are different from others because they're brined and blanched before getting double-dipped in the fryer and then served heavily doused in apple cider vinegar. Why settle for anything less?

Boston's Parker House Hotel is the birthplace of a handful of quintessential Massachusetts dishes. Many would argue the best is the Boston cream pie, a delicious combination of sponge cake, vanilla custard, and chocolate sauce. The dessert was first whipped up in the hotel's kitchen in 1856 – and while the hotel has since changed its name to the Omni Parker House, diners can still order the original recipe Boston cream pie. What else was invented in this hotel, you ask? Parker House rolls and Boston scrod.

People head to Frankenmuth, Michigan for the Bavarian-style architecture and the chicken dinners. When you've had your fill of the former, order the latter at historic restaurant Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth. This German American dish was created in 1888 and sees cuts of steamed chicken breaded and fried until crisp and juicy. Forget about fries on the side, too, because this German-style feast comes with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, and cranberry relish.

The Juicy Lucy has been the talk of Minneapolis since the 1950s. It's not your average cheeseburger, as this regional specialty crams the cheese inside of the beef patty instead of on top. Its origins are a little murky, with local joints the 5-8 Club and Matt's Bar both claiming to be the home of the Juicy Lucy (or the Jucy Lucy, as it's called at Matt's). Matt's has a more traditional take, using only American cheese, while the 5-8 Club's version has a few different cheesy fillings. But you can't really go wrong with trying the burger at either place.

This unique burger came about in North Mississippi during the Great Depression. But don't worry about the name: 'slug' was slang for a five-cent piece, and these burgers only cost a nickel in the 1920s. The burger traditionally features a beef or pork patty bulked out with potato flour or soy grits to make the meat go further, then fried in oil. It might be old-school, but the burger's crisp exterior still has its fans. Your best bet to try one these days is Latham's Hamburger Inn in New Albany, where slugburgers are called Dough Burgers (because they include bread dough as extenders).

Creating food by accident is something of a theme with American cuisine, and we can add toasted ravioli to that list. The word is that a chef at Oldani’s Restaurant in St. Louis accidentally dropped some boiled ravioli into hot oil around 1940 and customers loved the result. They've been a local specialty ever since, and the best are said to be served at old-school Italian joint Lombardo's. This restaurant serves its toasted ravioli stuffed with meat and spinach, and topped with marinara sauce and grated cheese.

The elk burger may be Montana’s signature dish, but the pork chop sandwich was the original hand-held on the block. This simply delicious combination of breaded, fried pork tenderloin, mustard, onion, and pickle on a soft roll was the creation of Swedish immigrant John Burklund in the 1920s. While you'll find versions of the dish throughout Butte, you can try the best at Burklund's original joint, Pork Chop John's.

Everyone in America is familiar with the charms of the Reuben: mountains of corned beef, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing crammed between slices of rye bread. Yet most people associate the sandwich with New York’s Jewish delis and perhaps don't realize it was created in Omaha at the city’s historic Blackstone Hotel. In the late 1920s, chef Bernard Schimmel invented it on the fly for Reuben Kulakofsky, a local grocer who asked for the sandwich at his weekly poker game. The Blackstone Hotel has since been reinvented as the Klimpton Cottonwood Hotel – but the original Reuben is still on the menu.

It's possible the shrimp cocktail wasn't invented in Nevada, but Las Vegas’ legendary Golden Gate Casino certainly popularized everyone's favorite retro appetizer. The casino's managing partner, Italo Ghelfi, started serving a 50-cent shrimp cocktail as a promotion in 1959 to get people inside the resort. And diners fell head over heels for the dish – at one point the casino was serving 2,000 a day. You can't find the dish at the Golden Gate anymore, but head to Saginaw's Deli inside Golden Gate's sister casino, the Circa, for a taste.

Apple pie wasn't invented in America – despite what that popular saying would have you believe – but it's still a comfort food classic loved throughout the nation. The most famous version comes from Lou's restaurant and bakery in Hanover. Its 'Mile High Apple Pie' has been delighting diners since the 1940s, with the dish earning its moniker because it stands five inches tall and features thick, buttery pastry surrounding three pounds of apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Delicious.

The pork roll is a New Jersey icon and obsession, with no-frills diners and food trucks across the Garden State serving them up to hungry customers. To qualify as a pork roll or Taylor ham, the breakfast staple must use a specific type of processed pork first developed in 1856 by John Taylor. Combining that with a fried egg, American cheese, and a roll is always a winning flavor feast. Every New Jerseyan will have their favorite version, but the one at Johnny's Pork Roll in Red Bank is often cited as the best.

The green chile cheeseburger is such a big deal in New Mexico that there's a dedicated green chile cheeseburger trail where diners can try the tastiest versions from the area's best burger joints. But locals agree that the cream of the crop is Sparky's in Hatch. Here, you get a pure experience with just a big patty, chopped roasted green chile, and cheese. The simple combination brings out the best in the beef, so it's little wonder that the restaurant often has a long line out front.

Most people could guess that the Waldorf salad was named for the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. But to give credit where credit's due, we should thank the maître d'hôtel Oscar Tschirky, who created the dish in 1896 for a charity ball. Yet despite how well-known the salad is, Tschirky's original recipe only contained apples, celery, and mayonnaise – with the grapes and walnuts arriving much later. You can get the dish in the perfect setting when the Waldorf-Astoria reopens in spring 2025.

Perhaps if livermush had a more pleasing name and appearance, it would be better known outside of North Carolina. As it is, this unusual combo of pig's liver, pig head parts, cornmeal, and spices has a loyal local following... and not much else. It’s typically fried until crispy and served as part of breakfast or in a sandwich, so one of the best versions for newbies could be the livermush sandwich served at Brooks Sandwich House (pictured). Food historians believe the dish came from German immigrants who traversed the Appalachians in the 18th century.

Chicago’s roast beef sandwich is getting a lot of attention these days, but the hot roast beef sandwich out of North Dakota is noteworthy, too. This wildly different take sees a roast beef and Texas toast sandwich topped with thick brown gravy and a scoop of mashed potato. The steaming hot dish is not the kind of sandwich you can eat with your hands, although it likely warms the heart during the exceptionally cold North Dakota winters. Charlie's Main Street Cafe in Minot is probably the best place to start your hot roast beef sandwich journey.

You can't go to Cincinnati without trying Cincinnati chili. It's been a mainstay in the area since 1922 when Greek Macedonian immigrants Tom and John Kiradjieff added it to the menu of their food stand Empress Chili. The joint grew into a brick-and-mortar restaurant and is still dishing up its signature chili more than 100 years later. The beef is spiced with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and chili powder and served on hot dogs or a huge mound of spaghetti, with lots and lots of grated Cheddar.

Ross Davis from the Hamburger Inn in El Reno is the acknowledged inventor of the onion burger – but the Hamburger Inn shuttered a long time ago. So your best bet for a historic taste of Oklahoma's famous burger is to head to Robert's Grill. This joint has been slinging fried onion burgers – aka the Depression burger – since 1926, and the restaurant is as fabulously no-frills as the burger itself. The onion burger was first invented so chefs could bulk out their burger patties with cheaper ingredients, and it's a fast food that has lasted the test of time.

The legend of Oregon’s answer to the corn dog begins in 1939 when husband-and-wife duo George and Versa Boyington operated a hot dog stand in Rockaway Beach. One day, it's said, the rain washed away all of their buns, so George cooked up the idea of having sausage and ‘bun’ together as one. He trademarked the Pronto Pup name in 1942, dipping his hot dogs in pancake batter to make a unique carnival treat. The original recipe is used throughout the Beaver State and the Midwest, but the original Pronto Pup still stands in Rockaway Beach.

The Franklin Fountain in Philadelphia may have only sprung up in 2004, but this retro soda fountain is housed inside a beautiful 1899 building, designed to look like it's frozen in time in the 1910s. It's the perfect place to enjoy the joint's Dr. Dovey’s 1904 Banana Split, inspired by the 1904 invention of the banana split by David Strickler at Tassell Pharmacy in Latrobe (within the Pittsburgh metro area). With its nostalgic mix of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice creams, nestled in a sliced banana and topped with fruit, nuts, and whipped cream, it's hard to beat.

You can't go wrong with crispy coated seafood, and Rhode Island's clam cakes are up there with some of the best in the country. To achieve the perfect bite, the fried New England clams should be golden brown on the outside and super light on the inside. The dish was supposedly invented by Carrie Cooper in 1920 after she added clams to her corn fritters. She set up Aunt Carrie's, a famous seafood shack in Narragansett, and to this day it's run by her family, who dish up mountains of clam cakes every day.

Shrimp and grits is so ingrained in Southern cuisine that it's perhaps surprising that the first published recipe only dates back to 1950 in Charleston Receipts. Its popularity soared, though, and it was named South Carolina's official state dish in 1976. Previously a meal reserved solely for breakfast, shrimp and grits is now an any-time-of-day affair. It's best devoured at old-school Charleston restaurants like The Glass Onion.

Chislic is not a South Dakotan invention, but the dish is most at home in the Mount Rushmore State. German Russian immigrant John Hoellwarth is credited with bringing the dish to the US in the late 19th century, although he likely would have used lamb or mutton instead of beef. Chislic is a common appetizer in South Dakota's bars these days, and it sees cubes of beef deep fried until juicy and ready to be dipped in a sauce of your choice. The Blarney Stone Pub in Sioux Falls has a very popular version, served with horseradish Dijon and Carolina gold barbecue sauce.

Which restaurant serves the best Nashville hot chicken is a conversation for another day – or another list. If what you're after is a taste of the original recipe, there can only be one choice: Prince's Hot Chicken. The story goes that the legendary dish was invented in the 1930s after Thornton Prince's scorned girlfriend tried to get revenge by serving him chicken covered in extremely hot pepper sauce. But Prince supposedly enjoyed the fiery, crunchy chicken – and based his entire restaurant empire around it.

Chili con carne landed in San Antonio at least as early as the 1730s, and it was popularized in the 1880s after the city's 'Chili Queens' arrived on the scene, selling it from food stands. The warming bowl of stewed beef in a spicy red sauce – with not a bean or a tomato in sight – has been a Tex-Mex staple ever since, feeding hungry cowboys and cowgirls for centuries. You'll find a great bowl in many places, but San Antonio's JD’s Chili Parlor is a good place to start for a delicious serving of Texas red.

Funeral potatoes perhaps need a branding makeover because more people need to know about this carb-loaded casserole. It's an unbelievably delicious mashup of hash browns, canned soup, cheese, and sour cream, topped with crumbled-up cornflakes. The name came about because it was traditionally served to grieving Mormon families after funerals. Home recipes are probably best for this dish, but there is a delectable version served at Midvale steakhouse Hoof & Vine.

Nobody knows definitively who invented soft serve ice cream or why Vermont decided to call its version of the summertime treat a creemee. But we can be certain that Vermont's idea to combine its significant maple syrup and dairy farming industries in one simple ice cream cone was a stroke of genius. It actually is creamier than most soft serves because it has a higher butterfat content. One of the best places to try one is the Canteen Creemee Company in Waitsfield.

Virginia’s reputation for producing the best country ham is centuries old. In fact, the first one was sold in Smithfield Market, in London, UK, in 1779, and Queen Victoria loved them so much that she ordered them on the regular. Smithfield hams stand out because of their smoky and salty flavor, similar to prosciutto. Try it for yourself at the family-run Fulks Run Grocery in Fulks Run. It has a dedicated following for its sensational fried ham sandwiches.

Don't let the name fool you: this oversized German-style pancake has nothing to do with the Netherlands. Apparently, the Dutch baby was created by Victor Manca at his eatery, Manca’s Cafe, in Seattle in the early 1900s. His daughter supposedly mispronounced the word 'Deutsch' as 'Dutch,' so he called his dish the Dutch baby. Manca’s Cafe is sadly no longer with us, but there are excellent versions – with varied toppings – at Tilikum Place Café.

In 1927, Giuseppe 'Joseph' Argiro created the pepperoni roll as a portable meal for local coal miners. The Country Club Bakery in Fairmont was the first to start selling these fluffy bread rolls stuffed with spicy pepperoni and melted cheese, and it's still selling the original version today. It's a popular snack throughout West Virginia and pepperoni rolls even made it into the US Army's First Strike Ration pack in the late 2000s.

No, Wisconsin's famous butter burger wasn't invented by Culver's – but the fast food chain did popularize the dish in the 1980s. The original first popped up in 1885 when chef Charlie Nagreen fried his hamburgers in butter at the Seymour Fair. Historic spots such as Solly’s Grille and Kroll’s took up the butter burger baton in the 1930s, with the recipe evolving to include a pat of butter melting on top of burger patties while they cook. This is the version still served at Solly's Grille, which is a much more authentic take than the one from Culver's.

When we think of fast food from Wyoming, the Potato Olé looms so large that it's hard to think about anything else. The dish first hit Taco John's menus in 1979. It's just a bowlful of deep-fried potato nuggets coated in a secret blend of spices and seasonings, and that's all it needs to be. Taco John's even once tried filling the tater tots with beans or salsa, but the fillings were so hot that they ruined the dish.

Now discover the retro recipes that still taste great today